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The Jesse Winchester Collection
Anthology of Lyrics
Compiled by Alan Freeman"Let The Rough Side Drag"
1976 Let The Rough Side Drag
Damned If You Do
Step By Step
Lay Down Your Burden
Everybody Knows But Me
Blow On Chilly Wind
Working In The Vineyard
How About You
It Takes More Than A Hammer And Nails
As Soon As I Get On My Feet
The Only Show In Town
The Brand New Tennessee Waltz
Let The Rough Side Drag
It's a good thing the sea's not dry
Such a good thing that cows don't fly
What a good thing to make a joyful noise
It's a good thing that beds don't talk
Such a good thing that chairs can't walk
What a good thing that God made girls and boys
Let the rough side drag
Let the smooth side show
While you pull that load
Everywhere you go
It's a good that the air is free
Such a good thing that a man can see
What a good thing the Lord above has done
It's a good thing to be young and strong
Such a good thing we're not old for long
What a good thing that making love is fun
Let the rough side drag
Let the smooth side show
While you pull that load
Everywhere you go
Let the rough side drag
Let the smooth side show
While you pull that load
Everywhere you go
While you pull that load
Everywhere you go
While you pull that load
Everywhere you go
©1976 Jesse Winchester
From the LP "Let The Rough Side Drag"
Damned If You Do
There's an awful bunch of liars hereabout
Who will tell you love's a pointless game to play
If you see one of these liars on the street
Better turn around and run the other way
All you lovers listening in
Don't mind liars anymore
You just go your own sweet way
If it may be out the door
Don't you listen to those liars
You take the love you want
Cause you'll be damned if you do
And damned if you don't
There's an awful bunch of rascals here about
Who will have another lover everyday
If you meet one of these rascals on the street
Better turn around and run the other way
All you lovers listening in
Don't mind rascals anymore
You just go your own sweet way
If it may be out the door
Don't you listen to those rascals
You take the love you want
Cause you'll be damned if you do
And damned if you don't
Cause you'll be damned if you do
And damned if you don't
©1976 Jesse Winchester
From the LP "Let The Rough Side Drag"
Step By Step
Step by step
All the happy Saints go marching in
And if one of those Saints step out of line
He'll have to start again
Cause Jacob's golden ladder
Get's slippery at the top
And many a happy-go-lucky saint
Has made that long long drop
If I'm late don't wait
Go on without me
I may tarry awhile
Cause I need to know
Before I go
How come the Devil smiles
If I'm late don't wait
Go on without me
I may tarry awhile
Cause I need to know
Before I go
How come the Devil smiles
Free from care
Free from sin
The Saints are trooping in
The children play all around the throne
Innocent of sin
A trillion voices sing the name
The mortals may not know
And Heaven's walls are too high to hear
The trouble down below
If I'm late don't wait
Go on without me
I may tarry awhile
Cause I need to know
Before I go
How come the Devil smiles
I need to know
Before I go
How come the Devil smiles
I need to know
Before I go
How come the Devil smiles
©1976 Jesse Winchester
From the LP "Let The Rough Side Drag"
Lay Down Your Burden
It's a cold old world
That we're walking through
Lay down the burden of your heart
But it's warm as toast
Walking two-by-two
Lay down the burden of your heart
Lay down the burden of your heart
I know you'll never miss it
Oh, show your Daddy where it hurts
And let your Daddy kiss it
It's a fine fine line between love and hate
It's tough to tell the two apart
But you know it's love
That I offer you
Lay down the burden of your heart
Lay down the burden of your heart
I know you'll never miss it
Oh, show your Daddy where it hurts
And let your Daddy kiss it
It's a cold old world
That we're walking through
They ought to tell you at the start
But what strength I have
Girl, I offer you
Lay down the burden of your heart
Lay down the burden of your heart
I know you'll never miss it
Oh, show your Daddy where it hurts
And let your Daddy kiss it
Oh, show your Daddy where it hurts
And let your Daddy kiss it
©1976 Jesse Winchester
From the LP "Let The Rough Side Drag"
Everybody Knows But Me
You told Bobby's girl Betty
Betty told Bobby last night
Bobby told Eddie at the A&W
And Eddie told Freddy and Dwight
And Dwight went and told his girlfriends
And the fool has two or three
And they spread the news to the whole dang town
So, everybody knows but me
I'm A Fool
Everybody knows but me!
Morris told Ellis and Osgood
And they're on the football team
A matter of minutes and the cheerleaders knew
They thought that it was really a scream
And they play lots of away games
And they tell everyone they see
How I am your personal private fool
And everybody knows but me
I'm A Fool
Everybody knows but me!
How I am your personal private fool
And everybody knows but me
I'm A Fool
Everybody knows but me!
You told Bobby's girl Betty
Betty told Bobby last night
Bobby told Eddie at the A&W
And Eddie told Freddy and Dwight
And Dwight went and told his girlfriends
And the fool has two or three
And they spread the news to the whole dang town
So, everybody knows but me
I'm A Fool
Everybody knows but me!
©1976 Jesse Winchester
From the LP "Let The Rough Side Drag"
Blow On Chilly Wind
They can talk and talk and talk about us
And smile when we go by
And I know that they've been talking 'bout us
By the look that is in their eyes
So we bid them a fine good morning
Let them get back to their fun
And we cuddle up a little bit closer
And we walk into the sun
Blow on chilly wind
I've got a real high collar
That's worth many a dollar
So I don't feel a thing
Tell me can't you feel the blessing on us
We have a love that's true
It's a sword and shield this blessing on us
It's a lamp to lead us through
Now the flame may weave and flicker
But the lamp burns on and on
Cause we have a God who's our Father
Yes, when others god's are gone
Blow on chilly wind
I've got a real high collar
That's worth many a dollar
So I don't feel a thing
Blow on chilly wind
I've got a real high collar
That's worth many a dollar
So I don't feel a thing
So I don't feel a thing
©1976 Jesse Winchester
From the LP "Let The Rough Side Drag"
Working In The Vineyard
The old world turns
Never stops
Chase that buck
Until we drop
The job's not bad
It's like childs play
Working in the vineyard
Paid by the day
Working in the vineyard
In the Lords employ
Getting good and mellow
On His wine of joy
Bend that back
One more time
Stand up straight
One more time
Work all day
Play all night
Every aching body
Will feel alright
Working in the vineyard
In the Lord's employ
Getting good and mellow
On His wine of joy
The old world turns
Never stops
Chase that buck
Until we drop
The job's not bad
It's like childs play
Working in the vineyard
Paid by the day
©1976 Jesse Winchester
From the LP "Let The Rough Side Drag"
How About You?
Why feel sorry for the blind man?
His soul is a bird on a wing
Why you might have eyes like an eagle
And never see one blessed thing
Why feel sorry for the lame man
And fret that he may fall down?
Why you might have legs like a race horse
And never get feet on the ground
He's alright
Makin do
Doing fine
How 'bout you?
Save all your tears for someone
Who's lost but he won't call out
Why he might have a voice like an angel
And nothing to sing about
He's alright
Makin do
Doing fine
How 'bout you?
He's alright
Makin do
Doing fine
How 'bout you?
©1976 Jesse Winchester
From the LP "Let The Rough Side Drag"
It Takes More Than A Hammer And Nails
It takes more, more than a hammer
More than a hammer and nails
It takes more that a hammer and nails
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
It takes a firm foundation built on faith and love
With a whole lot of guidance from up above
Show your neighbor what a friend is for
With an open heart and an open door
Your first one reaches for its' mothers' breasts
Knows up from down and east from west
It takes more, more than a hammer
More than a hammer and nails
It takes more that a hammer and nails
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
It takes more, more than a hammer
More than a hammer and nails
It takes more that a hammer and nails
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
It takes a firm foundation build on truth and thrust
So your wood won't rot and your nails won't rust
You for first one reaches for its' mothers' breasts
He knows up from down, east from west
Show your neighbor what a friend is for
With an open heart and an open door
It takes more, more than a hammer
More than a hammer and nails
It takes more that a hammer and nails
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
It takes more, more than a hammer
More than a hammer and nails
It takes more that a hammer and nails
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
©1976 ?, additional lyrics by Jesse Winchester
From the LP "Let The Rough Side Drag"
As Soon As I Get On My Feet
I'll be your man, so wise so strong
I'll work so hard, the whole day long
I'll be so good, I'll be so sweet
As soon as I get on my feet
Some folks can go on and dream on
And never will they make a stand
But I'm gonna push on and try on
Until you turn boy into a man
I know true love
No you can't fool me
The kind of love
You rarely see
I will return
Your love so sweet
As soon as I get on my feet
As soon as I get on my feet
©1976 Jesse Winchester
From the LP "Let The Rough Side Drag"
The Only Show In Town
Maybe life is just put on for show
Oh but it's the only show in town
And it don't cost a nickel to get in
Oh but you'll pay dear to hang around
Maybe love's a joke you heard before
Still it makes you laugh until you cry
Laugh until you're rolling on the floor
Till the tears are streaming from your eyes
Oh la la la la la la
Oh la la la la la la
Maybe love's a joke you heard before
Still it makes you laugh until you cry
So tell me that old story once a day
Every day until the day I die
Oh la la la la la la
Oh la la la la la la
Maybe life is just put on for show
Oh but it's the only show in town
And it don't cost a nickel to get in
Oh but you'll pay dear to hang around
Oh but you'll pay dear to hang around, oh yeah
Oh but you'll pay dear to hang around, yes you will
©1976 Jesse Winchester
From the LP "Let The Rough Side Drag"
The Brand New Tennessee Waltz
Oh my, but you have a pretty face
You favor I girl that I knew
I imagine that she's back in Tennessee
And by God, I should be there too
I've a sadness too sad to be true
But I left Tennessee in a hurry dear
In same way that I'm leaving you
Because love is mainly just memories
And everyone's got him a few
So when I'm gone I'll be glad to love you
At the Brand New Tennessee Waltz
You're literally waltzing on air
At the Brand New Tennessee Waltz
There's no telling who will be there
When I leave it will be like I found you love
Descending Victorian stairs
And I'm feeling like one of your photographs, girl
Trapped while I'm putting on airs
Getting even by saying Who cares
At the Brand New Tennessee Waltz
You're literally waltzing on air
At the Brand New Tennessee Waltz
There's no telling who will be there
So have all your passionate violins
Play a tune for a Tennessee kid
Who's feeling like leaving another town
But with no place to go if he did
Cause they'll catch you wherever you're hid
At the Brand New Tennessee Waltz
You're literally waltzing on air
At the Brand New Tennessee Waltz
There's no telling who will be there
©1971,1976 Jesse Winchester
From the LP "Let The Rough Side Drag"
Previously Released On Jesse's First Album